Are connecting flights as awful as they sound?

[KatyTheFairyPrincess]

Booking all things seperate over the internet to keep cost down, and just wondering if split flights are a nightmare :scared1:

thanks :)

[castanea1985]

Absolutely not!!!

As long as you make sure you have the 'optimum' time between flights - around 2 hours - you'll be fine.

Although we fly mostly with VA, we opted for connecting flights last Christmas, and quite enjoyed the change... especially the short return leg!

Tracy

[KatyTheFairyPrincess]

thanks for the quick reply

Just worried aobut if our first flight gets delayed etc...

But I suppose the airline would just book us onto the next flight? or am I being naive? :cutie:

[Pootle]

Short answer in my experience - usually no, occasionally yes!

I generally don't mind connecting flights so long as there is a decent time between the flights (but delays mean even that is no guarantee). I have missed connections (twice). This is not uncommon and the airlines will put you on the next flight. Of course when your other flight has been (or is going to be) transatlantic it's not pleasant for you, but it's all in a day's work to the airline.

Generally though, it works fine and I quite like it - especially if, on the return flight I am leaving from Boston or New York so this means a relatively short second leg of the journey.

Here's a link to a BBC piece that DH sent me yesterday which does not make good reading especially if using Chicago as a hub - which we are doing in August :sad2: OTOH, I've changed in Chicago many times in the past without problems so I'm not going to worry too much. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7389575.stm

[KatyTheFairyPrincess]

That article didn't make for nice reading at all :scared:

However, if getting to WDW means we are sat for a few hours in a random airport in the US then I think we can justify it.
Especially for the price we can get, just wondering whether to hold out for a couple more weeks to see if the price lowers even more :confused:

If anyone else has tips or stories please don't feel afraid to share as we've only ever done connecting flights in the UK. Is security tight? etc

[juliebro]

We've always flown to MCO indirect via Philly. Not had that much in the way of delays and never really found indirect a problem. We have never yet missed the transatlantic leg home. On the way there you go through customs and immigration at the end of your first flight - so once you touch down in Orlando, it's just grab your cases and head for the car hire company.

[kieras nana]

also done connecting flights,we find it no problem at all.we have never missed a connection,although we nearly did,on our way to vegas,but luckily,they weren't just waiting for us,so held the plane.
we are changing,in washington this year & for the price we paid,i am quite happy,to do this.
tracy

[Kevin Stringer]

We've done connecting flights a couple of times and would do it again if the price was right.

If you get a good gap between the flights (as others have said, 2 hours is ideal) it really doesn't take that much longer as you clear immigration and customs on the first leg of your flight.
Internal flight security in the US is tighter than it used to be, or at least it was last year when we flew from New York to Charlotte, but nothing to worry about.

Not such a good idea if you are a nervous flyer as you get two lots of takeoff and landing!

Kev

[wayneg]

We have done about 10 direct and 10 indirect trips. We accept anything 90 mins or over for the connection, If I can go indirect with BMI I prefer their service to Virgin so very happy. We have had a couple of delays sat in US hubs for a while but on the whole no problems in fact enjoyed flying in and out of cities like Philly, Washington, Chicago etc. I think seeing the New York skyline is amazing. By the time you have cleared immigration and customs half your time is over, then when you get to Orlando its straight out so saves time there.

[Mrs Dazzle]

We used Chicago O'Hare last October for our first indirect flight and were not only impressed with American Airlines after years of flying Virgin Atlantic, but the whole process went very smoothly. Perhaps we were lucky!

The price was excellent - £350 each compared to £8-900 both BA and VA wanted:scared1: - we made sure we had at least 2 hours changeover time and were thinking we would probably do indirect again this August, but surprisingly when we booked in January the indirect flights were more expensive:confused3 There are 7 of us going so couldn't risk waiting for maybe cheaper flights.

[peanut1967]

I've only been twice...first time direct....Brilliant
second time indirect ....bit of a nightmare
Next year we will go direct, if we have the kids with us we will now always go direct if its just me and my other half then I dont mind going indirect.
A

[Sue's Mum]

Moira, we have just booked our flights for our cruise in October with American Airlines through Chicago!!! Oh dear, keeping my fingers crossed. :rolleyes1

[Sue's Mum]

Annie - reading your post has given me a bit of reassurance - thank you.

[T16GEM]

We have flown indirect the last twice with Continental through Newark, I have got to say that the last time was a bit tight on the time in between flights, DH thought that 90 mins was ok, but we had two infants and car seats, luggage etc and it was one big rush. If you don't have small kids I think indirect flights are fab, it gives you a chance to stretch your legs round the airport and chill out for a while, you also clear customs so that makes you quicker getting through the airport in Orlando. Which I think is a big plus!

[KatyTheFairyPrincess]

Just booked connecting flights even after all the horror stories,
We have a 2 and a half hour stop over in newark on the way there
and return its just under 2 hours, but I figured we'll have done all security in MCO on way back? correct me if i'm wrong please.

Now my mum is stressing about our luggage getting lost, and is trying to find away of getting it all in hand luggage :rotfl:

[wayneg]

Have you booked the whole journey together?
If you have then yes you are correct. Coming back is easier than going, no immigration or collecting luggage, just go to your departure gate.

[KatyTheFairyPrincess]

All flights booked together, so hopefully no problems :scared:

[wayneg]

With them times you will have no problems.
Only once we had a problem with luggage. Its a few years ago and we had to collect luggage re check even on way home. We went to carousel nothing there, waited until everyone had gone still not there. Went to lost luggage and it was there, because we checkin in early at MCO they had put it on an earlier flight but no-body thought to tell us.
I know a couple of people that won't fly thru Schipol in Amterdam because of lost luggage one of them is Mick http://www.now-music.com/smokie/band/mick.htm he is a customer of mine (when he thinks to buy his other half some flowers:lmao: ) he hates Schipol but we have never had a problem there either.

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

We flew to Boston at Easter, changing at Newark and it went very smoothly. We have now booked a split flight to Orlando changing at Newark as I will be 23 weeks pregnant then and thought it would be a good way to break the journey.

[I Love Tigger]

We flew with AA via Chicago in 2002 with no problems, but our friends ended up having a six hour gap between flights which put them off flying indirect again.
The following year we flew with USAirways via Philadelphia, great flight and no problems.
Then we flew with Delta via Atlanta :mad: (will never use that airline or airport again, what ever the price) and it was a nightmare from start to finish. They had lost our prebooked seat requests, so ended up scattered all over the plane, we had to collect our luggage and then recheck in, but as the conecting flight was ready to leave we were told to leave our bags where they were and run:scared1: with staff assuring everyone it would make it on to the plane in time. No surprise when we finally arrived at MCO all of our luggage was delayed for 23 hours, ruining our first day. :sad2:

It put us off flying indirect, so the last three trips we've flown direct, but we did prefer the two shorter flight times.

Next year we are considering flying in to New York for a few days on route, so will hopefully have a stress free flight :thumbsup2